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Czechoslovakia The 1968 Invasion
The Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 was a pivotal
event in Czechoslovakia's political development. The August
intervention by forces from the Soviet Union, the German
Democratic Republic (East Germany), Poland, Bulgaria, and Hungary
marked the beginning of the end of the Prague Spring and the
reformist policies introduced by the Dubcek regime. It also set
the stage for the reemergence in Czechoslovakia of a pro-Soviet
regime and a politically orthodox environment.
In January 1968, Alexander Dubcek, who since 1963 had been
first secretary of the Communist Party of Slovakia (Komunisticka
strana Slovenska--KSS), was chosen to replace Antonin Novotny as
first secretary of the KSC. Dubcek was not then the leader of the
KSC reformers but rather was a compromise selection. The removal
of Novotny triggered an outpouring of demands for further changes
in all sectors of society. The drive for reform centered on four
broad issues: the overall question of political structure and
participation, justice and civil liberties, Czech-Slovak
relations, and economic organization and planning. In April 1968
the KSC Central Committee issued its so-called Action Program,
which outlined steps toward constructing a "Czechoslovak way to
socialism." Within the framework of a socialist society ruled by
the communist party, the program attempted to decentralize and
democratize the system of authority by reducing the role of the
KSC in national life and transferring greater responsibility to
the elected bodies of government. Other goals of the reform were
to introduce strong guarantees of civil liberties and justice by
establishing a system of checks and balances and reducing the
power of police organs; to construct a more equitable
relationship between Czechs and Slovaks by granting greater
autonomy to the latter; and to institute a decentralized planning
apparatus with aspects of market socialism.
A number of public opinion polls taken at the time indicated
that the reforms envisioned in the Action Program received an
extraordinary measure of public support. It was for this reason
that they aroused deep concern among the leadership of the Soviet
Union and neighboring communist nations. Those leaders feared
that the reformist policies in Czechoslovakia would result in the
erosion of the authority of the communist party, which in turn
would weaken Czechoslovakia's commitment to socialist unity and
to the Warsaw Pact and Comecon alliances. They also worried that
the implementation of reforms in Czechoslovakia would lead to
calls for similar reforms in the Soviet Union and other East
European nations.
During the night of August 20-21, the armies of five Warsaw
Pact nations invaded and occupied Czechoslovakia. The KSC
Presidium issued a statement over Prague radio condemning the
invasion and appealing to the people to remain calm and the army
not to resist. No armed resistance was forthcoming. Instead,
outrage at the massive invasion was expressed nonviolently: road
signs were altered and removed to slow the oncoming invaders;
radio transmitters were repeatedly moved to elude takeover; and
foreign soldiers were refused service in stores and restaurants
and were engaged in heated arguments with Czechoslovak citizens
from whom they vainly sought cooperation.
As the Warsaw Pact troops moved into Prague, Soviet security
forces arrested Dubcek and other top party leaders and flew them
to Moscow. Meanwhile, despite the presence of Warsaw Pact troops
in Prague, the National Assembly met August 21-27, and delegates
managed to convene the "Extraordinary" Congress of the
Czechoslovak Communist Party. Dubcek's supporters in the
government refused to recognize the Soviet-imposed government and
instead demanded to join Dubcek in directly negotiating with the
Soviets. The talks resulted in the signing of the Moscow
Protocol, an uneasy compromise allowing Dubcek to remain in power
but also requiring the dismissal of some reformists, a tightening
of press control, a commitment to no persecution of pro-Soviet
communists, and increased Soviet control over KSC appointments.
After signing the Moscow Protocol, Dubcek was allowed to return
to Prague, where he resumed his duties as first secretary of the
party. Dubcek's efforts to maintain political control and to
salvage the reform program were stymied by the new conditions
imposed by the Soviets. Furthermore, popular resistance to the
Soviet invasion continued and was reflected in such episodes as
the public suicide of a university student and the vandalizing of
Prague's Aeroflot office. All of these factors kept tensions high
and led to Dubcek's ouster in April 1969. He was replaced by the
more orthodox, Soviet-backed Gustav Husak.
Data as of August 1987
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